JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Brian Austin Whitney Blog Friday, December 14th, 2007

Hi Folks,

So when I sent out the newsletter yesterday, I expected to get a mixed reaction. I felt it was well written, but I know that there are many folks who can't get past the publicity about Ike Turner's drug and physical abuse. I didn't want to excuse or ignore it, but simply suggest that in the bigger picture, perhaps the story had a happy ending in context from where it was 30 years ago.

I was surprised at the overwhelming positive response I got. In fact, of over 200 emails, only 4 were negative. Of those, 1 person said I was an idiot in general (I almost always get one of those no matter what the topic.. it's been that way for 10 years) and another said they liked the article but had heard that Ike had a lot of relapses in his sobriety. (If true, that's sad to learn). The last two were what I expected. One from a woman very angry and glad he had died. The other more subdued and intellectual but with concerns that the abuse should wipe out any positive coverage. We had a long back and forth and I think we found we really agreed on most of it in the end.

Among the positive responses was a consistent thank you for giving a balanced and informed summary of his life. Few people knew all the facts and few found any of them in the mass media reports. Instead the mass media chose to basically report the facts from the movie and Tina's book instead of the vast info on his up and down life.

I didn't hear a lot from the regulars around here though. What did you all think?

Brian

I liked it and felt it was very well-written as your articles generally are, Brian. I enjoyed seeing the pictures, as well.

Newsletter? How does one get that?

Hard to believe you want to hear more after reading 200 emails...man, I'd want to go to bed early! But your blog the other day paid respect to not only a JPF member (I'd like to find his posts), but a musical icon and innovator. It's much too easy to condemn people for their faults. Such inflexibility of conscience leads to some of the worst injustices the world has ever inflicted. But still, many of us are the first to cast that stone.

As a songwriter and a great appreciator of rock and R&B, it is not difficult for me to separate a man's demons from his achievements. And Ike Turner's achievements were those of a Great.

You were right on the money. Actually I've heard second hand from someone who used to be in his band that Ike had had some relapses. Apparently when he confronted Ike about it Ike punched him in he face,and he left the band when his contract was up but once again, I got this info second hand, so it may or may not be true.

Lyle,

The message board is but a tiny part of JPF. If you haven't actually joined the org yet, go to the home page and sign up. You may be surprised to find out that this board only represents about 30% of the membership.

Brian

Well,
The News Services probably didn't have a whole lot about Turner and posted what they had. About the only thing I ever heard was he abused Tina. Thats about what most people will remember. Perhaps the best you can say about him is that he may have been a motivator but so were a lot of other people. The story was posted on the Net and in the local paper for people to read.

Everyone has their issues. Some of us do what we can to get past them, some of us don't. At least Ike made the attempt.

Thanks Brian. I'm in!

A book is a book and a movie is a movie and both should be taken with a grain of salt. Tina Turner is a superstar and Ike Turner wasn't. Tina told her story to Mike Wallace on 60 minutes. Has anyone heard Ike Turners story? Did he write a book? From what I hear he did admit his flaws and history of violent behavior and attempted to atone for them. Tina told her story and enriched herself and became a darling of the media and a poster child for spousal abuse. So who is the bad guy in the eyes of the public? Ike Turner. Bad enough so people ignore anything that he did for rock and roll and R&B music as we know it. I heard other rumors about a certain singer/songwriter supposedly beating up his movie star wife/girlfriend but he never lost his fan base. What's the difference between the two? I don't see any only that Ike's story was well publicised and the other wasn't. So I will remember Ike Turner as the innovator and music icon that he was. Put the rest in the gossip column. Ben

Well said, Ben.

Listen, no one wants to support spousal abuse. And for that reason, few people want to commend Ike Turner for his great contributions to music.

Of course, maybe that's a fair price to pay for the wrongs he did commit...But I do agree that most of us have no idea who Ike really was, but we are quick to condemn him anyway. Usually, we are not condemning the man...we are condemning domestic violence and calling it Ike Turner.